Complete UN Kosovo Coverage

Secretary-General Kofi Annan says regional approach can support lasting peace and stability in Balkans.
JULY 30 -- Secretary-General Kofi Annan told world leaders gathered in Sarajevo on Friday that the focus on regional roots of conflict in the Balkans would help create a framework for lasting peace and stability.
In a message delivered by his Balkans Special Envoy, Carl Bildt, the Secretary-General told the Stability Summit for South Eastern Europe that goal could be achieved by ensuring the true integration of the region into the larger economies of the continent, and by continuing to place respect for human rights of both minorities and majorities at the core of reconstruction.
The Secretary-General said the continued emphasis of the international community should be on enabling the people and parties themselves to build lasting peace and democracy.
At the close of the Summit in Sarajevo Friday, participants adopted a 15-point declaration outlining a steps to enhance regional peace and stability. Specifically, governments committed themselves to efforts to achieve economic and political reform, development and enhanced security in the region. They also pledge to pursue democratization and the protection of human rights, transition to a market economy, establishment of the rule of law, and regional cooperation.
The two-day meeting, which was chaired by the European Union, was attended by some 40 heads of State and Government, and more than 15 international and regional organizations.

UN interim administration is the only government in Kosovo says Bernard Kouchner.
JULY 30 -- The only government in Kosovo is the UN interim administration, not any other "so-called" government, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, head of the UN operation in the province, said on Friday.
Speaking to the press in Sarajevo following the close of the Stability Pact Summit, Dr. Kouchner said although the mandate of the Interim Administrative Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) was temporary, it would fully exercise its civil authority over the province.
Dr. Kouchner, as the Secretary-General's Special Representative, heads UNMIK which holds ultimate legislative and executive powers pending the establishment of self-government.
The UN was not, however, in competition with any of the parties, Dr. Kouchner said. It would cooperate closely with all groups to develop a system of democratic self-government. He said all Kosovar parties must participate in the Kosovo Transitional Council, which serves as the highest political authority in the province.

UN mission has made real progress in restoring civilian life in Kosovo says top UN official.
JULY 30 -- The United Nations Mission in Kosovo had achieved real progress in a relatively short period of time, Sergio Vieira de Mello, the man who set up UN operations in the province, said on Friday.
At a press briefing at UN Headquarters in New York, Mr. Vieira de Mello said the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) had succeeded in convening the first meeting of the Kosovo Transitional Council, which allows political parties and ethnic groups to have input in the UN decision-making process.
The Mission had also put local radio and television station back on the air, started recruitment for a local police force, repatriated refugees, distributed humanitarian assistance and appointed judges and prosecutors.
Mr. Vieira de Mello who is the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said that the assumption of some civil authority by members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) could not be seen as a truly negative development.
If persons assuming civil responsibility were carrying out their functions democratically and inclusively, they should be maintained, said Mr. Vieira de Mello. However, if they were not, they would be removed by UNMIK, with the backing of the KFOR international military force.
Responding to recent press criticism that slowness on the part of the UN had allowed the KLA to take over civil authority, he said since arriving in Kosovo on 13 June -- just 24 hours after KFOR -- UNMIK had made great strides in setting up the civil administration.
The UN was not a colonial power sent to Kosovo to impose authority from abroad, he said. It was there to promote self-government and autonomy. Each person in a role of civil authority would operate under the sole authority of Dr. Kouchner, cooperate closely with a UN regional administrator and be assisted by UN civil affairs officers.

Kosovo Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova expected to return to province.
JULY 30 -- UNMIK announced that there were reports that Ibrahim Rugova, leader of the LDK, was back in Pristina today. "We welcome his return to Kosovo and look forward to his participation in the Council" said an UNMIK Spokesman.
UN Special Representative Kouchner had repeatedly urged Rugova to return to the Kosovo Transitional Council. As Dr. Kouchner put it after the first Council meeting held on 16 July, it is impossible to imagine discussing the future of Kosovo in the Council without having the LDK present and obviously to have Mr. Rugova there would add weight to that body.

First repatriation flights to land directly at Pristina airport on Monday.
JULY 30 -- The UN High Commissioner for Refugees expects the first flights bringing back refugees directly to Pristina airport will land on 2 August. Most of the return flights will still be landing at Skopje airport, in view of Pristina's limited capacity. All of the returnees from abroad have so far been flown to Skopje and then taken by bus to Kosovo.
In related news, the numbers of returnees to Kosovo from neighboring countries have dropped dramatically. Around 2,500 Kosovars went back home over the past two days, including 1,700 from abroad. Just 788 Kosovars returned from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina in the last two days while figures from Albania were not available.

Dialogue established between Serb and Albanian communities in town southwest of Pristina.
JULY 30 -- In an encouraging development at variance with reports from elsewhere in Kosovo, local Serb representatives from Orahovac have told the UN refugee agency that they are now keen to stay on since there have been significant changes in the environment there and a dialogue has been established with the Albanian community.

Start-up of UN mission in Kosovo "moving along very well" -- US Secretary of State.
JULY 29 -- The head of the United Nations mission in Kosovo Dr. Bernard Kouchner met in Pristina today with visiting US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who said the start-up of the UN operation was proceeding very well.
Speaking to the press after an hour-long briefing by Dr. Kouchner and KFOR commander Lt. General Mike Jackson, Secretary Albright said she was encouraged by the cooperation between the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and KFOR, the international security force, which, she noted, were working very well together.
Responding to a question about reported dissatisfaction with the speed of UNMIK deployment, Ms. Albright said, "I have not been critical of the speed. I have understood that this is a very difficult mission."
In comparison to other start-ups in other places, Ms. Albright said she thought this mission was "moving along very well. I respect what Ambassador Kouchner is doing. He's not alone. He has to be supported by the international community."
Mrs. Albright met separately at UNMIK headquarters with Dr. Kouchner and the heads of UNMIK's four "pillars" responsible for civil administration, humanitarian assistance, institution-building and reconstruction.
According to UNMIK, the discussions focused on the full range of issues facing the UN mission and KFOR, including the maintenance of security in the territory, establishment of respect for the rule of law, the early deployment of civilian police, deployment of customs officers at Kosovo's international borders and the need to support rapid rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts.

Deployment of UN international police in Kosovo proceeds on schedule.
JULY 29 -- The deployment of international police personnel in Kosovo continues on schedule, a United Nations spokesman said on Thursday.
With the arrival in Pristina of 37 officers from Sweden and 101 police from Bangladesh over the past two days, the total number of UN police now stands at 372.
When fully deployed as part of the UN Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK), UNMIK police will be charged with providing temporary law enforcement and developing a professional and impartial Kosovo Police Service.
During the initial period, while the international security force, KFOR, is responsible for ensuring public safety and order, the UN police is advising KFOR on civilian police functions and establishing contact with local communities.
According to UNMIK, UN civilian police officers are now deployed at all border crossing points with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Albania.

Head of UN Kosovo mission, Secretary-General's special envoys to attend Sarajevo summit on Balkans stability.
JULY 29 -- Secretary-General's Special Envoys for the Balkans and his Special Representative in Kosovo will take part in the Stability Pact Summit which opened this morning in Sarajevo, a UN spokesman announced on Thursday.
Dr. Bernard Kouchner, who heads the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), will join in Sarajevo Secretary-General's Special Envoys Carl Bildt and Eduard Kukan, who have been dispatched to take part in the two-day event organized to address peace and stability in the region.
On Friday, Mr. Bildt is scheduled to deliver, on behalf of the Secretary-General, a statement to the Summit, which brings together leaders from nearly 40 States. Human rights, economic reconstruction and security in countries of the region are among the issues on the forum's agenda.

General Assembly authorizes $200 million for financing of UN mission in Kosovo.
JULY 28 -- The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday authorized Secretary-General Kofi Annan to enter into commitments of up to $200 million to fund the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). press release
Approving UNMIK's funding on the recommendation of its budgetary committee, the Assembly decided that $125 million of that amount would be apportioned among Member States, as an ad hoc arrangement.
By its resolution, which was adopted without a vote, the Assembly, by adopting a resolution without a vote urged all Member States to make every effort to ensure payment of assessed contributions to the Mission in full and on time.
The Assembly also emphasized that all future peacekeeping missions shall be given equal and non-discriminatory treatment in respect of financial and administrative arrangements. It stressed that all peacekeeping missions shall be provided with adequate resources for the effective and efficient discharge of their respective mandates.
By other terms of the text, the Assembly emphasized that no peacekeeping mission should be financed by borrowing money from funds from other active peacekeeping missions.

UN officials outline cost of urgent humanitarian and reconstruction needs in Kosovo at donors conference.
JULY 28 -- Senior officials from the United Nations Mission in Kosovo outlined the cost of meeting urgent humanitarian and reconstruction needs in Kosovo at an international donors conference held on Wednesday in Brussels.
Over 100 countries and international organizations attending the conference pledged more than $2 billion, including $245 million in emergency funds, to see returning refugees through winter.
The conference was convened by the World Bank and the European Union to begin the process of mobilizing funds to rebuild Kosovo.
According to the World Bank, urgent financial requirements over the next five months, include $45 million to cover a budget deficit presented by the Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) and $200 million for immediate basic needs identified by UN agencies.
Addressing the conference, Jolly Dixon, who heads UNMIK's reconstruction arm, stressed that appropriate financing was needed to cover current expenditures, including salaries for local administration and public utilities. Donors shared his view that building up a local administration was of the utmost importance.
Dennis McNamara of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which leads UNMIK's humanitarian component, outlined the basic needs, including shelter, food, education in early fall and delivery of health services. He said as many as 500,000 Kosovars needed help rebuilding homes before winter.
Mr. McNamara said that UNHCR could only provide aid for basic emergency shelter and stressed that the emergency assistance must be complemented by long-term reconstruction programmes provided by other agencies.
After a comprehensive assessment in coming months, a more accurate figure of the cost of reconstruction, peace-implementation and recovery will be presented to the next donors conference in October.

At funeral of slain Serb civilians, top UN official in Kosovo calls for an end to cycle of violence.
JULY 28 -- Pledging to make every effort to find the perpetrators of what he called "a horrible and horrific crime," the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Kosovo, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, on Wednesday paid his condolences to the families of the 14 Serbs found shot dead in a field in Kosovo last Friday.
Dr. Kouchner attended a funeral service for the Serbs at the village of Gracko near Lipljan, which is close to the site of the killings, south of the capital, Pristina. Several hundred Serbs attended the funeral, which was officiated by the Serbian Orthodox Church leader, Patriarch Pavle.
Before the service, Dr. Kouchner met with Bishop Artemije, of Prizren, at the historic Gracanica monastery, where Bishop Artemije has been staying with other Orthodox clergy members since June.
"Please receive my deepest regrets and sorrow regarding this horrible massacre," Dr. Kouchner told Bishop Artemije. "Let's wish that the Serbs and Albanians and all the communities can work and live together. It means working towards peace and dialogue and I know that it will take time."
"We are doing our best to find the people who committed these crimes," Dr. Kouchner said. "The investigations are going on, we must find the people and justice must prevail. We have to find a way to stop the cycle of violence."

Message by head of UN mission in Kosovo aired on Pristina radio in first broadcast since late June.
JULY 28 -- A message by the head of the United Nations mission in Kosovo was aired on Radio Television Pristina on Wednesday in a first broadcast since the radio station went out of operation at the end of June.
In his statement, which was translated into Albanian, Serbian and Turkish, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, the head of the UN Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK), said that the UN wanted to "put a new type of public information" at the disposal of everybody.
The first broadcast was a joint effort of UNMIK and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which prepared a segment for the programme.
"We want to open the dialogue with you in this way," Dr, Kouchner said, addressing his audience.

Stressing need for reconciliation, Secretary-General says UN will stay the course to build multi-ethnic Kosovo.
JULY 27 -- Stressing that reconciliation was the United Nations' goal in Kosovo, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today that violence would not be allowed to undermine UN efforts to bring peace to the war-torn province.
"Our message is one of reconciliation and we want to build a multi- ethnic Kosovo and we are going to stay on the course," the Secretary- General told the press at UN Headquarters this afternoon outside the Security Council chamber.
Responding to a question from a reporter about the inquiry into Friday's massacre of 14 Serb farmers, Mr. Annan said that his Special Representative Dr. Bernard Kouchner was energetically looking for those responsible to ensure that they were punished.
"This kind of impunity cannot be allowed to stand," the Secretary- General stressed. While noting that the anger and the frustration was understandable, he underscored that violence was not the way to resolve this kind of conflict.
Meanwhile in Kosovo, the UN civilian police have begun questioning witnesses and others who might have information about the shootings of the Serb civilians.
The UN police are working closely with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and KFOR to quickly bring those responsible for the mass killing to justice.
Dr. Bernard Kouchner, who heads the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo, announced today that he would attend the funeral for the 14 victims, which scheduled to be held on Wednesday in the village of Gracko.

UN refugee agency releases new findings on destruction of housing in Kosovo villages.
JULY 27 -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Tuesday released the latest results of its effort to assess the housing situation in the roughly 1,500 Kosovo villages damaged during the conflict.
According to the UN agency's survey of roughly one third of all villages, 54 per cent of the houses suffered severe damage or complete destruction, with nearly 40 per cent falling in the "completely destroyed" category.
The assessment of 456 villages also found severe damage or complete destruction of 32 per cent of village schools.
The assessment, which was conducted by UNHCR with the help of numerous NGOs, is a follow-up to an earlier survey which covered only 141 villages.

UN-led team of experts assesses environmental impact of Balkans crisis.
JULY 27 -- A team of international experts dispatched by the United Nations has just concluded the first review of damage to the environment and to human settlements following the Kosovo conflict.
The team from the joint Balkans Task Force of two UN agencies -- the UN Environment Programme and the UN Centre for Human Settlements (HABITAT) -- ended its work on Monday after visiting the hardest-hit industrial sites in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
As part of an independent scientific and technical assessment of the impact of the Balkans crisis, the team of 12 scientists visited such sites as the Pancevo industrial complex, which includes a fertilizer plant, oil refinery and petrochemical factory, as well as fuel depots and car, copper and transformer factories.
The scientists looked for toxic compounds such as dioxins and PCBs and took extensive soil and ground-water samples, which will be sent to independent laboratories for analysis. In addition, they gathered information on earlier pollution incidents to build up a picture of the state of the environment before the conflict.
A second Task Force team, based in Pristina, is remaining in the area to develop systems for land title registration, and means for resolving tenancy and property disputes. Cooperating closely with the UN Interim Administrative Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), that team is also working to strengthen municipal administrations and leadership.

Security Council members condemn massacre of 14 Serb farmers in Kosovo.
JULY 26 -- Members of the Security Council condemned the killing of 14 Serb farmers in a Kosovo village last Friday.
In a press statement issued Monday evening, the members of the Council said they were "deeply shocked and gravely concerned" at the massacre of the Serbian civilians and called for a speedy investigation to bring those responsible for the criminal act to justice.
Council members voiced their support for the work of the UN Interim Administrative Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the international security force, KFOR, to ensure peace and security for all inhabitants of Kosovo.

UN humanitarian agencies say over $400 million needed for Balkans this year.
JULY 26 -- Twelve United Nations humanitarian agencies and the International Organization for Migration today urged donors to continue funding humanitarian work in the countries of south-eastern Europe affected by the string of bloody conflicts which have devastated the region in the last decade of the twentieth century. press release
"Billions of dollars have been spent to pay for military interventions which finally brought peace to the Balkans. We are now asking for a fraction of that to do the necessary humanitarian work", said Sergio Vieira de Mello, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator and former United Nations administrator in Kosovo.
The United Nations agencies said they had already received more than $500 million for the Balkans this year. They warned that lack of further funding could jeopardize vital humanitarian work in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the remaining months of 1999.
The UN said it had been forced to revise its funding requirements several times this year to keep up with rapidly changing challenges of the Kosovo crisis, which sent fresh shock waves through the entire Balkan region.
"One day we were looking at helping hundreds of thousands of Kosovo refugees in neighbouring countries to get through the winter. A few weeks later they all flooded back home and we had to shift our resources to Kosovo", said Sadako Ogata, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), whose organization leads the relief effort in the Balkans.
The 77-page joint funding appeal says $290 million is needed for the rest of the year to tackle humanitarian tasks in the aftermath of the Kosovo crisis -- the Balkans' latest humanitarian drama. But the appeal makes clear that funds should not be seen as a substitute for a larger reconstruction effort in the war-ravaged province.
At the same time, the UN said that the donors' focus on the high profile Kosovo crisis should not come at the expense of less visible but equally important humanitarian work underpinning the implementation of the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement, which put an end to three years of war in Bosnia.
The UN agencies said lack of funding could have adverse effects on the lives and well being of millions of people uprooted or otherwise affected by the series of conflicts in the Balkans this decade.

UN officials condemn massacre of Serb farmers in Kosovo, pledge to bring perpetrators to justice.
JULY 26 -- The head of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo condemned as a "despicable crime" the killing of 14 Serb farmers in a field near the town of Lipijan capital and said, on behalf of Secretary-General Kofi Annan, that he expected an urgent and relentless investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.
In statements issued over the weekend, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, the Secretary-General's Special Representative in Kosovo, expressed horror at the massacre of 14 Serb civilians Friday night who were peacefully harvesting hay in a field outside the village of Malo Gracko.
Dr. Kouchner, who heads the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK), said UNMIK and KFOR, the international security force, would spare no effort in investigating and prosecuting those responsible.
Noting that in recent days the UN has been making significant steps towards stability and democratic self-government in Kosovo, Dr. Kouchner appealed to the leaders and people of Kosovo to join together with the international community to establish the rule of law in the province.
"All Kosovars who are concerned about the future of this land and its people should reject such cowardly and wanton acts of violence," Dr. Kouchner said.
In a related development, Louise Arbour, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, has instructed the Tribunal's investigators to begin a probe in the killings. They will be working in cooperation with the investigation launched by the KFOR security force and UN civilian police forces.
In a statement issued of the Hague on Monday, the Prosecutor recalled that her jurisdiction included offenses committed in Kosovo before and after the formal end of the NATO bombing campaign.
Meanwhile, Sadako Ogata, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said she was "shocked and saddened" by the massacre. According to UNHCR, over the past week Serb and Roma communities continued to be victims of violent acts throughout the province.
The UN agency said that as a result, Serbs and Roma have been on the move in search of safety both within Kosovo, and to Serbia, Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

"Mother of all regulations" spells out UN's executive, legislative authority in Kosovo.
JULY 26 -- The Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Kosovo issued his first regulation on Sunday outlining the legislative and executive authority of the United Nations mission in the province.
Introducing the new regulation at a press conference in Pristina, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, who heads the UN Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK), said the "Mother of Regulations" provides a legislative basis for the exercise of the full governmental powers foreseen by the Security Council.
"Under the mandate established by the international community, UNMIK is the legal authority in Kosovo," said Dr. Kouchner. "We intend to exercise that authority fully."
Under the regulation, the Special Representative can appoint any person to work in the UN-supervised civil administration in Kosovo, including those in the judiciary.
The new regulation specifies that all people holding public office or having public duties in Kosovo will be bound by international recognized human rights standards.
Also falling under UNMIK authority is the administration of State property in Kosovo -- including money and bank accounts -- of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the Republic of Serbia or its organs. In addition, all laws that governed the territory prior to 24 March 1999 will continue to apply, insofar as they do not conflict with the fulfilment of the UNMIK mandate.
Highlighting the latest actions by the Mission, Dr. Kouchner said he had appointed 11 new judges over the weekend, bringing to 30 the number of judges and prosecutors appointed by UNMIK. So far, judges and prosecutors have conducted nearly 250 hearings of detainees.
Dr. Kouchner said as many as 200 more UN civilian police were expected to arrive in Kosovo this week, fully qualified to assume executive law enforcement responsibilities. UN civil administrators deployed to the five provincial districts were working with local authorities to restore water, electricity and health facilities.

UN refugee agency reports return of 4,500 Kosovars from neighbouring countries.
JULY 26 -- The United Nations refugee agency said on Monday that just 4,527 Kosovars returned home from neighbouring countries over the past three days, while returns from abroad gathered pace.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that no repatriation flights took place on Sunday, but on Friday and Saturday, around 1,700 refugees returned from other European countries, with their travel organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
According to the UN refugee agency, the first UNHCR/IOM-assisted repatriation flights from Turkey took place on Friday. The flights from Corlu to Skopje carried 340 passengers.